Dek: A statewide truth‑telling process is documenting how Colorado’s policies have shaped racial inequities in wealth, health, housing, and justice for Black residents.
Brief: Colorado’s Black Equity Study is entering a new phase as researchers and community leaders hold public hearings across Boulder, Durango, and Colorado Springs. Residents are offering firsthand accounts of discriminatory housing practices, school segregation, policing disparities, and barriers to economic mobility. The study—one of the most comprehensive racial‑equity assessments in state history—aims to produce a public record of harms and a policy roadmap for repair. Organizers say the process is modeled after truth‑and‑reconciliation frameworks used globally to confront systemic injustice.
Why It Matters: Black Coloradans have long faced inequities that remain under‑documented in state policy. This study creates an official archive of lived experiences and data that can drive future legislation, funding, and community‑led solutions. It also positions Colorado as one of the few states willing to publicly examine its role in racial harm.